Star Charts is often used as a reference by novelists, and it defines a typical sector as being a cubic volume of space 20 light years on a side.

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It's been a while since I've read it, but I think it goes further than that, defining the division of space into sectors as being a lattice of cubes parallel to the galactic plane and the perpendicular plane on the line from Sol to the galactic center, with Sol as the origin? Though I never understood how that part was supposed to go along with Sol being within sector 001, since it would technically be located in 8 sectors at once by that definition.

I thought of something. In Star Trek Into Darkness Khan tells Kirk about the Io Facility at the coordinates 23.17.46.11. But if everything in the Sol System revolves around something and at different rates, then how can coordinates for anything exist? Be tied into astronomy databases?

^The point is, everything in space moves, so coordinates can't be treated as fixed locations. The logical approach to defining the coordinates of any object within a planetary system is through its orbital parameters.

Isn't that a flaw of Trek's "boxes in space" sector system in general? I figured the co-ordinates were based on that.

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Sectors are 20 light-years on a side. It takes tens of millennia for stars to move that far. I'm talking about motions within the Solar System, a vastly smaller scale. It only takes Jupiter three hours to traverse its own diameter (it takes Earth about seven minutes to do the same, since it's smaller and faster). If you say that, oh, Vulcan is in Sector 005, that's going to remain true for thousands of years, but if you try to define Jupiter's position based on some kind of fixed XYZ grid, those coordinates will be obsolete in hours.

New member of the Federation introduced in Acts of Contrition: Kyppr. Humanoid, with immune systems that are particularly vulnerable to off-world infection. As a result, they rarely leave home, except on official Federation business. A minor, low-key member for about a century, home star in the Beta Quadrant.

Founding states (2161):

1. United Earth (Earth, Luna, Titan, plus many other colonies): Spawnworld of the Human Horde.

Prior to the 2260s, these states have joined; the Federation as of TOS and Vanguard, basically:

9: Alpha Proxima II: Human colony that became powerful or populous enough to get Council representation.

10: Arcturus (The one at the real Arcturus, where Arcturians are from, not the other Arcturus on the Triborder, which is a seedy, non-aligned trade world)

11: Plutocracy of Ardana: Ardanans. Apparently a strategic member, not really playing by the rules. After the controversy concerning its class divisions in the 2260s, it pulled out of the Federation, but eventually came back.

12: Argelius: Argelians, humanoid pacifists, sometimes empathic. Joined in the 2240s-50s. Courted for strategic position and popularity as a shore-leave planet.

13: Arken: Arkenites. A former Andorian subject world; Arkenites are stoic, bald, pointy-eared people who were being courted as members as early as 2162.

14: Aurelia: Aurelians, bird people.

15: Axanar: Axanar, long-lived reptilian methane-breathers.

16: Cait (Cait, Kirisha IV): Caitians; cat people. They apparently leave and come back on a whim (presumably people call up the Caitian Councillor and ask him/her “will you be attending today, or have you left again? You’ve left? Okay, see you the session after next”).

18: Deltan Union (Dhei AKA Delta IV [Cinera, Seyaan], Brannik IV): "Deltans" (Dhei-ten); Sexually mature people who have been inward-looking for the last few centuries, turning their back on their era of colonization; still feud with non-member Carrea over those old holdings.

19: Denobula (Denobula, Teerza Prime, Fellebia (implicitly), Matalas (implicitly)): Optimistic, patient humanoids with ridged faces. Courted as early as 2162, resisted at first due to differing positions on genetic augmentation.

20: Icor IX: Icorians, purple humanoids.

21: Ithen: Ithenites, little bronze humanoids in fezzes. Active in the local trading/shipping community since the 2150s.

Early 24th Century: By the time Picard is on Stargazer, these members have joined:

42: Atrea IV: Atreans, humanoids with large sculpted ears.

43: Betazed (Betazed, Darona): Betazoids, mind-reading Humanoids. Began working in and with the Federation around the 2290s.

44: Bolarus (Bolarus IX, Myrmidon): Bolians, blue, bald people. They were apparently first courting membership in the 2260s, begin appearing in Starfleet in the 2270s-80s. By the 24th century, a major economic power within the Federation.

112: Zalda (Zalda, Ricktor Prime): Zaldans, brutally truthful people. Membership: Originally said to be 2280, later retconned to circa 2330s-40s. Maybe Piniero meant to say “half century” when she said “century”?

113: Zanri: Inhabitants unknown. Membership: at least 2377.

That's 113 named members out of an established 155, not including former members Kerovi (left, 2378) and Selelvia (kicked out, 2376. Shoulda listened to Gimli on that one, guys).

Colonies that may well have Council representation (seeing as Vega, Deneva, Izar, Cestus III and Alpha Proxima II are full members):

Lorillia seems to have been a member as of Destiny, but Serpents Among the Ruins implies that they were separate as of 2311, since Klingon ambassador Kage lists them among the species he's negotiated with (along with Tholians, Vedala, Lissepians, Otevrel, and unnamed dozens). Although it's possible they could've joined between the time he negotiated with them and the time of that book.

And who are the Talish, the racial variant of Andorians? I don't remember that one. Where's it from?

Lorillia seems to have been a member as of Destiny, but Serpents Among the Ruins implies that they were separate as of 2311, since Klingon ambassador Kage lists them among the species he's negotiated with (along with Tholians, Vedala, Lissepians, Otevrel, and unnamed dozens). Although it's possible they could've joined between the time he negotiated with them and the time of that book.

And who are the Talish, the racial variant of Andorians? I don't remember that one. Where's it from?

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I know it originates elsewhere (though I'm not sure where), but it was used a couple of times in Paths of Disharmony. Unlike the Aenar, they're apparently part of the mainstream Andorian, one of presumably many variants. The book mentions lengthy antennae, so maybe they're supposed to represent the early TNG Andorians?

I'm pretty sure that the S'ti'ach are members. Orion's Hounds explicitly says that Ambassador Alexander (from Platonius) convinced them that they could participate in the Federation as equals despite their short height.